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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · perch · nail · season · safe · branch · plane · date

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. toast — bread
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. plane — a tool
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. branch — a division
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. perch — the fish
  23. date — the fruit
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com